Elite Peer Mentor at Embry-Riddle Helps First-Year Students Excel

With the guidance of campus academic mentor Brock McHood, Noah Ben-Iesau successfully navigated the complexities of her first year at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, including course registration.

“I was so worried that I might take a class I shouldn’t and mess up my whole schedule,” said Ben-Iesau, who is now a sophomore. “Brock helped me to understand which classes would be good to take first and which he’d recommend taking later on.”

In recognition of his work with Embry-Riddle’s campus academic mentor program, McHood, a senior majoring in Aeronautical Science with a minor in Air Traffic Management, has been named a 2025 Jordan Smith Fellow. The fellowship honors undergraduates who demonstrate outstanding leadership, service and commitment to supporting their peers.

“I was delighted when the news came through that I had received it,” McHood said.

McHood was nominated for the fellowship by Dr. Lisa Schlegel, director of First Year Experience at Embry-Riddle.

“Brock is more than an academic mentor — he is a role model, problem-solver and advocate for his peers,” she said. “He has exemplified what it means to be a mentor, and his recognition as a Jordan Smith Fellow is well deserved.”

As a fellow, McHood joined Schlegel at the 44th Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience, held in February in New Orleans. At the conference, they engaged with educators and student leaders to discuss best practices in peer mentorship and student success initiatives.

“I had never been in a room with so many people dedicated to empowering first-year students,” McHood said.

Embry-Riddle’s campus academic mentor (CAM) program provides peer mentorship to help students overcome academic and personal challenges. A mentor for the past two years, McHood attributes much of his success to the program’s emphasis on peer-to-peer support.

“As a CAM, I foster a sense of community and try to connect with each student,” McHood said. “So, for the first-year students, it feels like they have someone who cares about them. That’s what makes the position truly special.”

Early in his involvement with the CAM program, McHood had one of his most impactful experiences as a mentor. He met a freshman international student who faced multiple challenges, including housing difficulties, academic concerns and feelings of isolation.

“He didn’t have a working cell phone, and he was struggling to connect with professors,” recalled McHood. “He was acclimating to living on campus and was homesick.”

Recognizing an opportunity to make a difference, McHood made time throughout the semester to give him advice and to help him find his place at Embry-Riddle.

“Now I see him surrounded by friends. It brings a smile to my face to see him with his peers and succeeding academically,” he said.

McHood is considering multiple career paths in aviation, with opportunities to pursue a role in air traffic management or as a flight instructor while working toward his dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot.

"I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had as a CAM," McHood said. "It’s been rewarding to see students grow and gain confidence. If I’ve been able to make even a small difference, then it’s all been worth it.

He has been a difference maker for Ben-Iesau, the sophomore McHood advised when she was a first-year student. Ben-Iesau said that she found McHood's guidance so inspiring that she has decided to become a mentor herself.

“I wanted to be able to do the same for other incoming first-year students that might have been as overwhelmed as I was,” she said.

Posted In: Institutional News